Sunday, June 21, 2026- The head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has urged African governments to increase domestic investment in Ebola preparedness, response systems, and vaccine development.
The warning comes amid renewed outbreaks in parts of Central Africa, where recent cases have exposed gaps in rapid containment capacity and reliance on external funding for emergency health responses.
Officials stressed that while international partners continue to play a key role in outbreak response, long-term health security cannot depend primarily on external assistance.
The Africa CDC leadership emphasized the need for stronger regional financing mechanisms to support surveillance systems, laboratory networks, and vaccine stockpiles that can be rapidly deployed during outbreaks.
Health experts argue that building self-reliant systems is critical as infectious disease threats become more frequent and unpredictable. Strengthening local production of vaccines and medical supplies, alongside improved coordination between member states, is seen as essential to reducing response delays.
The call reflects a broader push for Africa to take greater ownership of its public health infrastructure to better manage future epidemics.
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